His Time Lord Heart
by Rointheta
Summary: The Doctor has found a way to get to Pete's World after the events on the Titanic, but he's not prepared for what he finds. Not quite a reunion story.


**A/N 1:** This is not betad so I apologize for my mistakes. ^^  
**A/N 2**: Written for the Plus One Ficathon on LJ.  
**A/N 3**: While this is a Ten/Rose fic, it's NOT about her leaving Tentoo, just to make that clear. I have no desire writing that kind of a fic, so relax, relax. ^^  
**A/N 4:** Contains a bunch of smut.

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**HIS TIME LORD HEART**

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It was something the Master said during the year that never was that finally made everything click. He danced around the Doctor, taunting him with how much smarter he was; how he had such a brilliant understanding of the TARDIS and travelling between universes; giving him tidbits of information whilst mocking him for losing his blond 'pet' in the first place. The Doctor always assumed the Master was pulling it out of thin air but, after the events of the Titanic, he was in such a bad place that the need to find Rose Tyler and bring her back home was stronger than ever. So, he went through every little thing the Master told him and there, amongst the rubbish, was the solution. It's a one trip deal. Nothing will collapse but the damage will take a lot of time and power to repair and it's not something he can do ever again.

The TARDIS didn't lose her power this time nor did she crash land. The trip from his home universe to Pete's World went as smoothly as one could hope for and now the Doctor stands under a zeppelin filled sky a lovely summer morning. His time sense is a bit wonky-well, all his senses are, to be honest, since they always take awhile to adjust to a new universe-but he reckons it should be seven years for Rose since Canary Wharf. She's around here somewhere, the TARDIS locked on to her biosignal whilst navigating through the void, so the Doctor nervously looks to his left and his right, hoping to catch a glimpse of blond hair. There's a park up ahead and, feeling lucky, he decides to go there first.

His eyes flit around without pausing for long, trying to take in everything at once. There's a row of lime trees to his left, red brick buildings to his right and, according to the street signs, he's currently strolling down Memory Lane. He smirks at that, hoping it's a good sign and laughing out loud as he realises the accidental pun. It's easy to laugh now that he knows that he'll see her again, _hold_ her again, and maybe even... Oh, he can scarcely believe that he's finally here and every step he takes makes him feel lighter until he's practically bouncing forward.

The Doctor is still quite a distance away when he sees her and he stops dead in his tracks. She's there, she's _really_ there, and she's smiling and laughing with someone hidden from view behind some thick bushes. He feels as though he's about to burst from the onslaught of emotions: nervousness and fear, yes, but mostly all the good ones. Needing to be close to her _now_, he starts running but then he sees something that makes him halt once more. Rose holds a child, swinging him around in circles, and he looks like he's about five years of age and he's _ginger_. Ginger as his...as his _father_, perhaps?

The Doctor's feet slowly move forward on their own accord and now he's close enough to see that she's wearing a wedding band. Oh. It's as though someone has knocked the wind out of him and yet he can't stop smiling because she looks happy. No, that's not a big enough word to properly describe what he's seeing. She's radiant, positively glowing, and he's so glad for her but, as another person emerges from the bushes, the Doctor's stomach drops and his hands turn into tight, white-knuckled fists. There he is. The probably-ginger prat who has stolen his Rose. No. Not stolen. It's been seven long years and she was so young when they were separated. No wonder she has moved on.

The other man is holding a big ball up in front of him, effectively blocking his face from the Doctor's prying eyes, and he thinks that maybe that is for the best. He doesn't need to have that man's face haunting his dreams. What he can see, though, is the matching wedding band on his left hand and how Rose's face brightens further still as she looks at him.

He can't watch this, it hurts too much, so the Doctor decides to walk back to the TARDIS and forget about this whole thing; however, before he's turned around he feels...something. Yes, there's _something_ tickling the back of his mind. Frowning, the Doctor tries to shake the feeling of, well, whatever it is that makes him all...oh. He senses it at the exact same time as the other man, who drops the ball from shock and stares at the Doctor. It's _him_. Granted, the suit is charcoal grey with silver pinstripes and there's no brown coat in sight, but that is definitely a future version of himself. There are no parallel Time Lords but the thought strikes him that it can be some telepathic imposter who is trying to weasel his way into Rose's life by pretending to be the Doctor. There are so many ways out there to alter one's appearance and voice and, whilst it might not be the most likely scenario, it's definitely possible. The Doctor's senses are still off but he reaches out telepathically to prod at the man's mind, knowing that he won't need touch to make a connection if that is in fact himself.

His older self quickly slams up his mental barriers and kicks the younger Doctor out before he's had a chance to see anything important. He did have time to confirm one thing, though: the man standing on the other side of that iron fence is indeed himself, the Doctor, looking as dashing as ever, but having absolutely no memory of this moment.

The Doctor swallows and, frozen in shock, he tries to understand what the hell he is doing over there. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he registers Rose moving towards the gates of the park, but his main focus stays on his older self. He's surprised by the clothes, but he probably didn't want to wear his blue mourning suit once he had Rose back and therefore replaced it with this so he still had an alternative to his usual brown get up. What really confuses him, however, is the child. He's not his. His senses might be off but had the child been of Gallifreyan heritage, the Doctor would, without a doubt, have been able to feel him. There _is_ something else, though, something he can't quite catch, tugging at his senses. He tries to wrap his mind around it but, before he has time to do much at all, he sees Rose standing in front of him, looking a bit flushed and very confused.

"Doctor?"

He has imagined this moment so many times, but this reaction was never an alternative. She should at least hug him, shouldn't she? That is, after all, what they do. The Doctor and Rose, running hand in hand through time and space, using any excuse to share a hug.

"What are you doing here? Is something wrong?" she asks and he opens his mouth to retort but closes it again when she steps back. "Wait. You look..." She narrows her eyes. "When is it for you?"

He casts a glance at his other self and, assuming that version has told Rose what happened when they were apart, tells her, "A couple of months after the year that never was."

Rose gasps and her hand flies to her chest. "Oh, my god. What...?" She shakes her head, staring at him in disbelief before she quickly schools her features and smiles brightly at him. "Oh, c'mere." She flings herself at him and wraps her arms tightly around his body and he can't help but beam as he breathes in her familiar scent.

"Rose?" he says into her hair. "Are we-are we _married_?"

She pulls back, eyes wide open and eyebrows almost touching her hairline. "Uhm...you know I can't tell you."

"Well, I do have eyes, you know." He nods at his older self, who's playing with the ginger kid whilst casting glances at the Doctor and Rose. "That's me. I'm wearing a ring and so are you."

Blushing, she sticks her thumb nail into her mouth and chews on it as she meets his eye. "I missed you so much."

He nods. "Yes, me too, but don't distract me." He takes her left hand and lifts it up to his face. "That's circular Gallifreyan."

"Yeah."

"We're married."

"Well..." She averts her eyes with a shrug, but there's a smile playing on her lips.

"Me? Married?" He laughs, trying to wrap his head around it. "_Really_?"

She looks up at him through her lashes, biting her lip. "Well, you know.."

"How?"

She grins. "How it's usually done."

He tries to give her a stern look, but knows he's failing miserably. "Rose..."

She mimics his expression. "Doctor..."

They fall into a fit of giggles and he's overcome by the need to touch her again. His hand trembles a little as he reaches for hers and he pulls it up to his face and cups it around his cheek. They're not images to each other this time. Tears form in her eyes and she draws in a ragged breath, brushing her fingertips over his sideburn. They do nothing but look at each other for a long moment, taking in every little detail and basking in the feeling of being with one another.

"You look..." he eventually says and his face breaks out in a smile.

She beams at him. "Yeah. You too." She casts a glance at his older self over her shoulder. "Uhm. How long do we got?"

"Eight hours."

"I can't come with you. Obviously. You know I want to, right? But that's not how it happened."

He smiles gently. "No, I gathered as much."

"But...we have eight hours. We could go visit mum or..." She shoots him a wicked grin when he winces. "Or we could go back to the TARDIS. Could murder a proper home universe cuppa and, ooooh, those biscuits from..." She scrunches up her face, repeatedly snapping her fingers as she tries to remember the name. "Those lovely crispy ones with turquoise filling."

"Ah. Lopriunies."

"Right! Those! God I've been craving them something mad. Do you have any?"

"As a matter of fact I do."

"So...allons-y, then?" She grabs his hand and starts tugging him with her down the street.

"Of course!" He feels his older self nudge his mind so he turns his head and looks at him. "Think myself might mind, though."

"No, he's just worried. You know how you are. Can you communicate with him?"

"Nope. He won't let me in. He's just being an annoying prat, poking me in my head."

She snorts. "You said it. I just...I just want a moment in private with you before you leave. So, I'll just text him, yeah?"

"Yep!" He bounces on the balls of his feet, feeling ridiculously happy. "Wait. We're not bonded? But I can feel...something..."

"Oh. No. No, we're not."

"Why not? It might come in handy. Like now. Wouldn't have to use that thing." He points at her mobile.

She looks up at him in confusion. "What? Oh. Yeah. We have our reason, all right? Something will happen that... Well, we don't quite know how everyone involved will, uhm, be affected. Can't explain it. You'll know in due time." She turns back her attention to the mobile and quickly types her text before holding it and just staring at the display until it buzzes. Biting her lip, she reads the text and then grins as she shoves the mobile back into her pocket. "C'mon, let's go."

"What did he say?"

"Just...you know. Not to cause any paradoxes." Her tongue pokes out between her teeth as she grins at him. "Get a move on, then, Time Lord. You owe me those biscuits."

"Yep."

They swing their arms between them as they practically skip down the street, earning themselves some looks from strangers passing by, but not caring in the least.

"So...ehm...who's the kid?"

"Oh, that's Tony. Mum was pregnant, remember?"

"Oh, right." He moves his free hand around his temple. "There's something... I can feel something... Not older me. I've, well, he slammed down his walls. And it's not you, because we're not...we're not bonded. Is it my older self's TARDIS?"

She shrugs. "Probably it."

They've reached the time ship, so he pulls the TARDIS key out of his pocket, unlocks the door and ushers her inside whilst trying to once again catch that little tendril prodding at him.

"What is it?" he wonders out loud. "What..." He's barely taken a step up the ramp when the added psychic ability from the TARDIS helps him make sense of what he's feeling and he nearly staggers back as it hits him. Noticing his reaction, Rose wraps her arms protectively around her stomach and looks away. "You're pregnant!"

"Yeah, I am."

"I..." Tears prickle behind his eyelids and he gapes at her. "It's-it's _mine_. I can feel her, Rose. She's mine." She licks her lips and nods whilst wiping her eyes. "Oh, she's beautiful." He takes a tentative step towards her, staring at her stomach in wonder. "Rose, she _recognises_ me! I'm going to be a father again. How is it even...? Rose, I..." It's all too much and he flings himself at her so he can hold her close to anchor himself to reality. "I'm... Oh, Rose..."

She's crying into his chest and he sheds a few tears of his own as they sway gently from side to side, embracing one another. The baby's soft tendrils caress his mind, giving love and comfort, and he has to hold himself back as he reciprocates to protect her from being overwhelmed by the unabashed joy and love he is feeling.

"I'm sorry. I'm really emotional right now," she mumbles and lets out a chuckle.

"Well, you're pregnant. With-with _my_ daughter." His chest swells with pride and he draws in a shuddering breath, trying to rein in his emotions enough for them to keep talking. "How? When? You have to tell me. Do I go back and get a younger you? How long have we've been...you know? I didn't even know we're compatible! I don't understand and that-that, Rose Tyler, is quite out of the ordinary."

She sighs heavily. "You know I can't tell you."

"I'll have to block these memories anyway, Rose. Just tell me."

She furrows her brow. "Block? When will you remember, then? He didn't."

"I didn't? That's curious."

"How does that whole thing work anyway"

"Well, the TARDIS helps. I will block the memories and she will unblock them once it's safe for me to know. I'll know something's there but... Won't be able to access it."

"Oooooh. I think I know when, then, but..." She smiles and sticks her tongue out between her teeth and his hearts flutter in his chest by the sight. "Can't tell you."

He runs his fingers over her cheek, feeling bold since he knows they'll be married one day. Married and... Well...he can't help but blush as he pictures what they will be doing to create that beautiful life growing inside of her. "Oh, I've missed that smile, Rose Tyler."

"Doctor?" She rises on tiptoes and leans in closer, big brown eyes searching his for consent. "I know this you've never done this with me but..."

Cradling the back of her head with his hand, he closes the distance between them and finally kisses her in the way he's always dreamed of doing. She opens up to him as she sighs and he gingerly slips in his tongue to caress hers. His other arm is wrapped around her waist, pressing her closer to him and revelling in the feel of her soft curves against his lean frame. Her hands are plunged into his hair, fingers gently scratching his scalp, giving him gooseflesh. She tastes like rain, chips, fruity lip gloss and the faintest hint of time and space. They shiver and moan in each other's arms and he feels something he thought he'd lost a long time ago awaken within him.

She releases him, but leans her forehead against his and pants against his lips. "Can we-" She swallows. "You're gonna laugh at me."

His hearts beat faster. "No, I won't. What is it?"

"Well...you know... I've _really_ been craving those biscuits. I'm sorry but it's all I can think about."

He giggles at her. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of keeping them from you." He glances down at her stomach. "You're...you're carrying my daughter, Rose." He wants to touch her belly and see if there is a small bump yet, but it's been so long and, besides the kiss they just shared, they've never been intimate with each other.

He walks her into the galley, hands her the packet of biscuits and prepares her tea just as she likes it. Standing beside him at the counter, Rose shoves biscuit after biscuit into her mouth as she watches his movements. She has eaten more than half of the packet by the time he hands her the cup and, grinning, he quirks an eyebrow at her. Blinking innocently at him, she quickly wipes the crumbs off her lips and fingers.

"S'her fault," she says, mouth full of turquoise goo.

He chuckles. "Oh, I'm sure. Is she why we're here?"

She looks confused. "Is what?"

"Our-our daughter. Are we here to tell Jackie? You're not far along. Not even showing yet. I assume I've figured out a way to repeatedly travel between universes without collapsing the whole thing."

She bumps her hip against his. "Something like it."

"Are we-are we happy?"

Her playfulness is instantly replaced by sincerity and she cups his cheek, looking lovingly into his eyes. "I've never been happier in my life. One day, we'll have to make a tough decision, you and me, Doctor. Might not feel great right then and there but... Everything turns out just great for me and my Doctor, all right? I want you to know that and that's all I can say."

"Well, that's good enough for me." He smiles at her but it fades as he sees the longing and hunger reflecting in her eyes. Her tongue darts out to moisten her lips, making his hearts race and mouth go dry. She's all over him in an instant, pushing him against the counter and kissing him fiercely. He grabs her shoulders and pushes them apart. "Rose? Rose, wait. What...? Does the other me know you're here to-to snog me?"

Panting, she tucks her fringe behind her ear. "Yeah. Lied to you about the text. He really said that I should do whatever I need to do 'cause you're still him, 'kay?"

"That I am. Wait." His hearts begins to race. "You mean...?"

"Yeah. I mean."

"But..."

She chuckles. "Really? You're turning me down, Doctor?"

"No! But-" He sighs heavily and shoves his hands into his pockets.

"Listen. You know I can't tell you but you'll go through...something and I want you to have this." She takes his hand and weaves her fingers with his. "I want you to have this memory of you and me."

"I won't remember it anyway, Rose. Not until I'm him."

"But you will. One day, when you'll need it, you will."

He grins. "Oh, you know this for a fact, do you?"

"I want you. If you don't... Fine. I'm used to it, yeah? Well, I was once anyway." She backs away from him, grabs her cup and takes a few sips of her tea. "We can just talk or snuggle or something. I'll stay until you'll have to leave."

He takes the cup from her and puts it down on the counter so he can take her hand and tug her back to him. He brings her close enough for him to encircle her waist with his arms and once more he feels something stir within him. He can't help but wonder if this was the moment that made their romantic relationship possible in the first place; if the knowledge of what they would become was the excuse he needed to finally let go.

"Of course I want you but... You of all people know I don't do this." He looks at her stomach, grinning sheepishly. "Or, well..."

"S'okay. I understand."

"It's been so long for me, Rose, I can't just..." He shrugs, not finding the right words.

She rubs her eyes and sighs. "Yeah, I know."

He smiles. "Right, I suppose we'll go through this in my future. "

She smirks. "Well...you know I can't tell you."

"How long? Please, just tell me how long."

"Before what?"

"I find you. We do...this."

She licks her lips, fingers fidgeting with one her earrings, diamond studs now instead of hoops. "Uhm, we've been together for two years or so and, uhm," she grins at him, tongue poking out between her teeth, "I find you, actually, not the other way around."

He smiles proudly at her. "Really? My clever Rose."

"Yep. Think it will happen in about a year for you."

Joy washes over him. "That quickly, hm? Brilliant!"

"Yeah..." She swallows, hands playing with his tie. "You know...we're standing awfully close, Doctor and I, uhm," she looks up at him with dark hooded eyes, "I know all the little thing that drive you wild."

"Oh, well, ehm..." He tugs at his ear. "That's-that's good to know."

"Isn't it?" She pushes herself up on her toes and leaves a trail of kisses on his neck, from his collar and up to his ear. A shiver runs through him when she captures his earlobe between her lips and sucks gently on it. "Are you sure you don't want to...?" She resumes her ministrations and chuckles against his skin as she elicits a gurgling sound from him. "We can do a lot in seven hours, you know. These hormones make me..." She nips at his jaw, grinding her hips against his, and for the first time in centuries he feels his cock twitch. "My you can barely keep up."

"Oh, hell."

He scoops her up, rushes out of the galley and down the hallway until he reaches his bedroom. Giggling, she peppers his face and neck with kisses as he moves and, as they reach his bed and he gingerly puts her down, she gives him an amused look.

"You know, Doctor. Might be pregnant, yeah, but I'm not fragile. So don't go holding back on me, you hear?"

He kicks off his chucks and starts loosening his tie. "Oh, I won't."

"Good!" She reaches down to unbutton her trousers but he stills her by taking her hands.

"Don't. I...I want to, ehm, undress..." he trails off, blushing.

She grins. "Well, go on, then. Don't have all day."

He quickly divests himself of his clothing before joining her in bed. His hearts are beating fiercely in his chest and he can barely remember a time when he felt more nervous than he does right now. Scared of fumbling too much if he has to do several things at once, he doesn't kiss her as he slowly undresses her. What he does do, though, is taking the opportunity to openly admire her, something he tried his hardest not to do when they travelled together.

"You're so beautiful, Rose," he mumbles, taking in her naked form as they lie on their sides, facing one another.

"So are you," she says, smiling and running her fingers up and down his torso.

"I, uhm..." He clears his throat, feeling out of his depths.

"Oh, I know. I'll take the lead, don't worry."

"Oh, right. I didn't remember this when we..."

"Nope. Been through this before." Pressing a hand against his chest, she guides him to lie on his back and then climbs on top of him. Straddling his hips, she leans over and kisses him and plunges her hands into his hair. The kiss they shared earlier was controlled by him and therefore gentle and slow, but now she's the one commanding their tempo. She's hungry and playful, nipping and sucking as she explores his mouth, lips and tongue. He's already hard and, even though their centers aren't yet touching, he feels the heat radiating from her, intensifying his need to have her.

She leaves his mouth and kisses her way down his neck and chest, where she captures a nipple between her teeth, running her tongue over it. Groaning and squirming under her, he takes himself in hand and starts stroking slowly to get a little relief. She moves further down his body, kissing and nipping at his skin, until she's hovering over his erection. She wraps her hand around his and quickens his pace whilst looking up at him with a wolfish grin. She licks her lips and he holds his breath in anticipation only to release it with a loud moan as she takes him into her mouth. They are still stroking him together as she sucks on the head of his cock and fondles his sack with her other hand. His eyes roll back from the pleasure coursing through him and he can't think of anything, in all of his nine hundred years, that feels better than her tongue swirling around his erection.

He's just about to tell her that he won't last, if she keeps up her ministrations, when she releases him with a pop. She scoots up until she's straddling his hips again, takes his hand and brings it to her folds.

"Feel," she says, moving against his hand. "This is what you do to me. Always done to me." She lifts his hand up to his face and her fingers are shining from her wetness. "Taste."

He sucks a digit into his mouth, closing his eyes and moaning as he finally gets to know the real flavour of Rose Tyler. He won't ever admit to it, but it's something he frequently fantasised about on long lonely nights when she was asleep in her room.

"Would you like to...?"

"Yes!" he says so quickly it makes him blush.

Feeling a strong need to get in control over the situation, he grabs her by the hips and flips them around. He knows he should probably mimic her treatment of him but he's too eager to taste her directly to bother. He places his hands on the inside of her thighs, instead, and spreads her legs apart to admire her curls and glistening folds.

"So beautiful," he whispers, running the tips of his fingers over her sex before descending his mouth over her. He explores her thoroughly with his tongue, humming in appreciation at the taste, before pushing two fingers into her. He curls them up in a come-hither-motion and teases the spot on her inner walls he's read about in boring textbooks. She gasps and whimpers and, knowing it's all because of him, he feels a wave of pride wash over him. He sets up a steady quick rhythm and matches it with his tongue as he licks her clit and she moans and rolls her nipples between her fingers. Her eyes are closed but, as though she senses him staring at her, she opens them and meets his heated gaze.

"Close. I'm-I'm..." She grinds her hips against his mouth and he sucks harder on her bundle of nerves whilst thrusting his fingers into her as fast as he can.

She comes with a loud cry, wildly bucking her hips and releasing her breasts to clutch at the sheets. Easing her down from her high with soft slow licks, he shivers as she moves her hands to his head and caresses his neck and his jaw. He kisses her curls before moving up to settle between her legs where teases her entrance with the tip of his cock, eager to get inside of her.

"Ready?"

She responds by lifting her legs and pressing her heels against his bum, pushing him closer. She places her hands over his hearts, smiling lovingly at him with flushed cheeks and shining eyes, and he slowly enters her until he's fully sheathed in her wet heat. He closes his eyes, taking a moment to fully appreciate the feel of her slick and tight around him; however, as he hears her sniffle, he instantly opens them in alarm.

There are tears on her cheeks and her face is distorted as she tries to stifle her cries, hands still pressing firmly against his chest. Thinking that she's changed her mind, he begins to pull out but she instantly wraps her legs tightly around him and holds him in place.

"I'm okay. Just...emotional." She chuckles. "Hormones."

"Oh. Was scared... You're pushing pretty hard against my chest, so..."

"Oh, no. No, I want this, Doctor. Just...suppose it's a kink of mine." She grins through her tears. "I love feeling your heartbeats, you know? Comforting and-and..." She knits her brow and licks her lips, drawing in a shuddering breath. "I know that it's you, yeah? Just you. No one else."

He leans down, kissing away her tears before capturing her lips as he starts moving inside her. She keeps her hands on his chest the whole time but moves them slightly to tease his nipples and he's surprised by how much he enjoys it. He wants to go slow but the need for release has grown so strong that he can't stop himself from plunging into her in a frantic pace. She's mewling, eyes closed and teeth sinking into her bottom lip, and he snakes down a hand to her clit so he can help her reach her second orgasm. Propped up on one hand, he rubs her hard until she's clenching around him and a few seconds later he lets out a hoarse shout as he comes inside her. Wave after wave of pleasure course through his body, leaving him lightheaded and feeling giddy.

He leans his forehead against hers, trying to catch his breath. "That," he swallows, "that was _brilliant_. I'm very glad you decided to seduce me."

"Oh, I know." She moves her hands to his back and hugs him hard. "My you told me how much you regretted holding back after we were separated. Knew you'd never suggest it on your own, though. Still a coward, yeah?"

He chuckles. "Yeah."

They snuggle for a while, caressing each other's faces and bodies, mumbling terms of endearments, and then he scoots down and pillows his head on her stomach.

"Hello," he whispers against her skin. "This is..." He clears his throat, still feeling overwhelmed by the news. "This is daddy speaking." He looks up in concern at Rose as he hears her choke out a sob. "Hormones again?"

"Yeah. Sorry 'bout that."

"Have we thought about names yet?"

"Yeah, we're...we're thinking of Susan."

He gets gooseflesh, feeling warmth spread inside his body. "Really? That's-that's... Oh, Rose. It's _perfect_." He turns his attention back to Susan and reaches out with his mind, connecting it with hers. "Eighty six percent Gallifreyan, you know. That's dominant genes, for you. And beautiful. So, so beautiful, Rose. Can't wait to meet her."

Rose begins to cry so hard that she's shaking and he quickly scrambles up to her so he can hold her. "I must have it tough, living with such a hormonal wife," he jokes, comfortingly stroking her back.

"Yeah. I'm just...I'm just happy, Doctor, and it's so... I just feel so strongly, all right? Can't hold anything in."

"It's quite all right," he says tenderly.

He keeps comforting her with hugs and kisses and soon they're moving against one another once more, seeking friction and release. They spend the remaining hours in bed, chatting, laughing and fucking, until the TARDIS alerts him that their time is running up.

They get dressed and walk out to the console room hand in hand. He's so full of joyous energy that he can barely keep himself from bouncing around, but Rose seems subdued and that worries him.

"Rose, are you all right?"

"Yeah, just gonna miss you."

"But you have me."

"Yeah, I know but... You're not the same anymore. You've changed, and I love the changes and I love you, but you've-you've changed."

He furrows his brow. "Thought you said we were happy."

"Oh, we are! We're so happy, Doctor. Wasn't lying about that. I just... You know, I miss the old you sometimes, too. Doesn't mean I love this you, or my you, any less. Because I do." She places her hand against his right heart. "I love you. So much." A couple of tears spill over her cheeks and she wipes her nose with her other hand. "I want you to remember that. That I love you, Doctor, no matter what, and I forgive you. _Always_."

"Forgive me for what?"

"For always sending me away and leaving me behind," she sobs, breaths shaky.

"Oh, yeah. Have a tendency to do that, don't I? I'm so sorry, Rose."

"I know." She presses her hand more firmly against his chest. "_Always_."

She bores her eyes into his as though she can burn the sentiment into his mind and, even though he doesn't quite understand why she's so intense, he gives her a nod and repeats her word: "Always."

She opens the doors and he sees his older self waiting on a bench further up Memory Lane. He looks worried, eyes roving over the obviously distraught Rose, but he stays put.

"The trouble is, you think you have time," she says, lingering at the door. "But you don't. It's always too late for something. Remember that, once I'm gone, okay? Remember what it's like to live with regret."

He's utterly confused but there's not enough time left to ask questions, so he pulls her in for one last kiss instead. She tastes of tears and is trembling in his arms, clutching at his back and he wishes he knew what was wrong. He caresses her stomach and telepathically sends Susan his love before Rose tears herself from his arms and rushes over to her husband. His older self holds her protectively whilst meeting his eye and he gives him a nod. The Doctor waves to him and then closes the door and walks up to the console.

"Right, old girl. Time to block my memories." 

* * *

It's not until he sees Rose on the abandoned street on the stolen Earth, that his memories come flooding back and he runs faster than ever so he can be in her arms again. The Dalek shoots him before he's had a chance to hold her or kiss her but, having seen his fantastic future with her, he knows this isn't the end. When he feels the regeneration energy tingling in his body, he siphons the excess into his spare hand, happy to still be his tenth self, knowing that the most beautiful time lies ahead for him and Rose.

However, hours later, as he sees the Metacrisis bursting through the doors of the TARDIS, everything falls into place and his hearts break in his chest. He remembers all of Rose's words and now he finally understands the true meaning behind them.

He can still feel the weight of her hand over his right heart, his Time Lord heart, and as he prepares to leave her behind for the final time, he lets her words repeatedly echo in his mind to give him strength.

_"I love you, Doctor, no matter what, and I forgive you. Always."_

_fin_


End file.
